Hello, Friends!: Stories from My Life and Blue Jays Baseball

by Jerry Howarth

Overview

An honest memoir about life, family, and baseball from the longtime, legendary Toronto Blue Jays radio broadcaster

For 36 years, Jerry Howarth ushered in eternal hope each spring and thrived in the drive of each fall as the voice of the Toronto Blue Jays. In 1982, the lifelong avid sports fan joined Tom Cheek as full-time play-by-play radio announcer for the Blue Jays, and for the next 23 years, “Tom and Jerry” were the voices of the franchise. Jerry became part of the fabric of a nation and a team, covering historic moments like the rise of the Blue Jays through the 1980s that culminated in back-to-back World Series Championships in 1992 and 1993. His Hall of Fame–worthy broadcasting career has been nothing short of legendary. When Jerry retired in February 2018, the tributes poured in and made one thing perfectly clear: Toronto baseball would never be the same.

Howarth brings together thoughts on life, family, work, and baseball. Featuring stories about everyone from Dave Stieb, Jack Morris, Duane Ward, Roberto Alomar, and Joe Carter to John Gibbons, Edwin Encarnacion, Josh Donaldson, and the late Roy Halladay, Hello, Friends! is a must-read for sports fans everywhere.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781773053530
Publisher:	ECW Press
Publication date:	03/05/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	360
File size:	6 MB

About the Author

Born in York, Pennsylvania, and raised in San Francisco, California, Jerry Howarth became a Canadian citizen in 1994. He currently lives in Toronto with his wife, Mary.

Read an Excerpt

The Bat Flip

October 14, 2015, will always be remembered for the bat flip and a cherished moment in my Blue Jays career at the microphone. Yes, that was the day that Jose Bautista in the 7th inning of the final and deciding game of the ALDS against Texas finished off one of the most famous and bizarre playoff innings in major league history. An inning that took a phenomenal 53 minutes to play. 

Texas had taken the lead in the top of the inning on a throw back to the mound by catcher Russ Martin that hit the bat of Shin-Soo Choo in the batters’ box. Roughed Odor was allowed to score from third base after the ball was initially ruled a dead ball. Texas took a 3-2 lead. The crowd went berserk. In the bottom of the inning three softly hit ground balls amazingly led to three straight Texas errors loading the bases. It reminded me of the old adage in baseball: “There’s no such thing as a routine ground ball.”

With the infield drawn in, a little pop up out behind second base resulted in a force out at second as a run scored to tie the game 3-3 leaving runners at the corners. Up stepped Jose Bautista off right-handed reliever Sam Dyson. On the 1-1 pitch Bautista hit the biggest home run of his career. As the ball sailed toward deep left centre field I simply said: “Yes! (pause) Sir! (pause) THERE! (pause) SHE! (pause) GOES!” The thunderous applause filled our crowd mic for a full 40 seconds. Bautista paused for a moment as he watched the ball fly over the wall. As the crowd erupted, Bautista then tossed his bat high over his shoulder toward the Rangers first base dugout. His famous – or infamous depending on which side you came down on – bat flip was the exclamation point.

People have asked me many times since, how I felt about Jose’s bat-flip. I tell them I feel exactly the same way former Blue Jays pitcher and later Arizona Diamondbacks General Manager Dave Stewart felt about it:

“In today’s game, what Jose Bautista did, that’s acceptable. I’ve got to tell you, there’s no better professional than he is. There’s no better guy and no better teammate than he is. So I don’t think it was to show up the other side. I don’t believe that. I just think that’s how they play today, and displays of emotion when you do something great – especially on that platform in that moment – that’s just today’s game.”

The season would end on a Friday night October 23 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City with a heart-breaking 4-3 loss in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. In that game Bautista hit two home runs and drove in all three runs. His two-run home run in the top of the 8th inning dramatically tied the game 3-3 only to see the Royals score a run in the bottom of the 8th and then hold on to win it in the 9th as the Blue Jays left runners at 2nd and 3rd.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Prologue

Chapter 1: Thrill of a Lifetime

Chapter 2: Developing an Interior Life

Chapter 3: Two Life-changing Moments

Chapter 4: Handling Disappointment

Chapter 5: Starting My Broadcasting Career

Chapter 6: a Glimpse into the Future

Chapter 7: Time to Pinch Myself

Chapter 8: the Major Leagues

Chapter 9: Doing What I Love to Do

Chapter 10: Offseason to Remember

Chapter 11: Veterans and Rookies Alike

Chapter 12: Key Moment

Chapter 13: Watch out, American League

Chapter 14: Changing of the Guard

Chapter 15: Continuing to Refine

Chapter 16: Special Year for All

Chapter 17: Reaching the Promised Land

Chapter 18: How Sweet It Is (Again)

Chapter 19: Finishing the Decade

Chapter 20: Trying to Kick Start the Engine

Chapter 21: Moving in the Right Direction

Chapter 22: Memorable Moments

Chapter 23: Breaking the Postseason Barrier

Chapter 24: Quite a Ride

Epilogue

Acknowledgements

Editorial Reviews

01/14/2019

Howarth, who was the play-by-play radio announcer for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1982 until 2018, waxes nostalgic on professional baseball and his career in sports broadcasting. Howarth explains that he learned his skills as a broadcaster calling Seattle’s Triple-A baseball games: “It taught me to ad lib; think on the fly; make adjustments.” He also shows the personal touch that was the hallmark of his Toronto years—his “painting the pictures” of the games began when the blind organist of a farm club team asked to sit next to him as he called the game. Throughout, he offers play-by-play descriptions of various Blue Jays games, especially those leading up to the team’s 1992 World Series Championship. His best moments come in his profiles of the players who were the core of the Blue Jays’ 1993 championship, particularly future Hall of Famers Paul Molitor, Roberto Alomar, Jack Morris, and Rickey Henderson. He recalls “the most electrifying moment for Rickey and his Blue Jays teammates,” when, in the dugout, Henderson energized them during game six of the 1993 World Series by insisting that his team would win. Howarth’s book will entertain baseball aficionados and especially delight Blue Jays fans. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

Howarth’s book will entertain baseball aficionados and especially delight Blue Jays fans.” — Publishers Weekly

“Jerry Howarth is a Canadian national treasure and his story is tremendously inspiring. As joyful a person as I’ve ever met, Jerry made friends with millions of baseball fans during his long career and brought his warmth, humor, insights and descriptions into their living rooms. Readers of his story will have a further opportunity to revel in his positive outlook on life as well as countless fascinating memories.” — Eric Nadel, Texas Rangers radio broadcaster

“Whether it was Blue Jays closer Tom Henke saying ‘Hellllllo, friends!’ when Jerry Howarth walked down the aisle on a team charter, an opposing player near the batting cage, or a 12-year-old self-broadcasting his sandlot game to his buddies, ‘Hello, friends!’ became Howarth’s trade mark. In fact, the two words are greeted with the same warmth and familiarity from coast to coast in Canada.” — Bob Elliott, sports journalist

“For four years I was privileged to sit alongside Jerry — master storyteller, consummate professional, exemplary broadcaster. Now fans can pull up a chair and enjoy the excerpts from my partner, mentor, and friend.” — Joe Siddall, Blue Jays broadcaster

“There HE goes but here he stays. Fortunately, Jerry and Mary and their boys came north to our country. That was truly a positive for the Blue Jays and baseball fans across Canada from coast to coast.” — Brian Williams, Olympics commentator

“Jerry’s known as one of the great guys in the game of baseball. I miss our daily back and forth talking baseball and life and, of course, ‘The Blue Jays are in flight.’” — John Gibbons, Blue Jays manager

“A memoir that will delight those who avidly follow Toronto's team.” — Literary Review of Canada

“If you are a baseball fan, you’ll like this book. If you are a big-time Blue Jays fan, you’ll probably love it.” — Teena in Toronto blog

“Told in short, digestible parts, Howarth delights sports enthusiasts (especially Blue Jays fans) with tales from his time both on and off the field. Hello, Friends! is a must-have for any sports fan.” — Girl Well Read blog

“This book is one that Blue Jays fans will certainly enjoy and fans of other teams may like as well. If nothing else, Howarth can say he has shared a treasure trove of stories that many generations of Blue Jays fans will pass along from generation to generation.” — Sports Book Guy blog

From the Publisher